Mnangagwa dumps deadwood

President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday wielded the axe sharply, dumping much of the deadwood that had for decades been part of the team of ‘‘permanent members’’ in former leader Robert Mugabe’s Cabinet line-up.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa

And in yet more pleasant surprises, a bold Mnangagwa also significantly reduced the size of the previously bloated Cabinet — while also taking away the key Defence portfolio from his influential deputy Constantino Chiwenga.

The 75-year-old’s new-look Cabinet includes former swimming sensation Kirsty Coventry, as well as highly-regarded banker Mthuli Ncube — as Mnangagwa clearly indicated that his main focus under his term will be to revive the country’s ailing economy.

As correctly predicted by the Daily News earlier this week, the new Cabinet line-up excludes most of the old guard who had dominated Mugabe’s executive.

Apart from sending several bigwigs packing, Mnangagwa also trimmed the number of ministries to 20 — as he sought to cement the image of a new political dispensation in the country with his first major decision as Zimbabwe’s leader.

“I appointed a diverse, dynamic, youthful and streamlined Cabinet, with the skills and experience required to achieve our goals. Now it is time to get to work.

“We would want to grow, modernise and mechanise our economy. We believe that in the next five years we will be able to transform our people into middle income citizens,” he said yesterday.

Among the heavyweights that he sacrificed are his top ally and former Treasury chief Patrick Chinamasa — who has lately copped a lot of criticism due to the country’s tanking economy.

Professor Mthuli Ncube

Chinamasa was replaced by the 55-year-old Ncube, a former African Development Bank (AfDB) deputy president and founder of the now-defunct Barbican Bank.

Other bigwigs who fell by the wayside include Mike Bimha, Josiah Hungwe, Simon Khaya Moyo, Christopher Mushohwe, Webster Shamu, Obert Mpofu, Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, David Parirenyatwa, Supa Mandiwanzira, Petronella Kagonye, Martin Dinha, Angeline Masuku, Owen Ncube and David Musabayana — who served in the previous Cabinet as either full ministers or provincial ministers.

On Tuesday, the Daily News correctly reported that Mnangagwa would dump the deadwood that had worked for decades with Mugabe, and shunt some of them to the party’s headquarters as Zanu PF adopts a modus operandi which gives it more power than the government — similar to the Chinese model.

Well-placed Zanu PF insiders told the newspaper that Mnangagwa was “definitely going to re-assign many bigwigs” to the party’s headquarters — commonly referred to as Shake Shake House in Harare street lingo — in a bid both to strengthen its administration and to also breathe new life in government.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has a similar model, which has also lately been adopted by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa.

For the first time in the history of Zimbabwe, Mnangagwa appointed a woman to preside over the Defence and War Veterans portfolio, when he promoted Zanu PF chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri to assume the reigns at the powerful ministry.

The ministry had until now been superintended by Chiwenga — a situation that critics said went against the tenets of the law.

Kirsty Coventry

Olympian Coventry was appointed minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation — in a move that was hailed by many Zimbabweans as a step in the right direction.

Mnangagwa also appointed war veterans’ secretary-general and one of his fiercest backers during Zanu PF’s ugly succession wars, Victor Matemadanda, as deputy minister of Defence and War Veterans.

Colourful businessman-cum-politician, Energy Mutodi — who ignited a firestorm in Zanu PF when he was famously pictured with Mnangagwa holding a cup inscribed with the words “I am the Boss” — was appointed Mutsvangwa’s deputy.